


love and baseball

by socks_clinton



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Gen, a love story between a man and baseball i guess, i do not love the mets, i love you josh lyman, it's more of just a josh story, um idk what this is but it's been in my head for awhile so here ya go, yes this is tagged josh/donna but that's not until the end so
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-20
Updated: 2021-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-29 00:14:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30147786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/socks_clinton/pseuds/socks_clinton
Summary: "He took one whiff of the freshly cut grass, and he’s taken back to the first days of summer break — riding bicycles, circling bases with worn shoes, and stargazing in the backyard."
Relationships: Josh Lyman/Donna Moss
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	1. 1969

A bright kid — that’s how a lot of people described Joshua Lyman, age 8, in his town of Westport, Connecticut. Son of Noah, a litigator, and Carol, a homemaker, brother to Joanie, a ‘world-class pianist’ at age 12; at least that’s how Noah described her. Josh’s own interests included history, The Young Rascals, the girl who lived three houses down, and baseball — especially baseball. He lived and breathed the New York Mets.  
Still a fairly young team in a historic league, he loved that they weren’t the best or, really, even good most of the time. The fact Josh followed this team since basically their inception meant the world to him. Noah had grown up a Yankees fan but he’d be the first to tell you he was nothing more than a casual fan. Not until Joanie and Josh came along did Noah really begin following baseball.  
Before Josh was born, Noah had taken Joanie to a Yankees-Mets game with nothing more than the hope Joanie would enjoy herself. She latched herself onto the Mets wagon and never let go. Her affection for the team spread to her father and, eventually, Josh himself as he grew older. It became tradition for the three of them to head to Shea Stadium for at least one game a year.

* * *

Josh vibrated with excitement as he, his sister, and their father entered the stadium.  
“Hey look at that! Tom Seaver is the starting pitcher today,” Noah called out to his children reading from the match-day pamphlet. Josh’s eyes grew wide. He loved Seaver, but never actually laid eyes on him pitching. He knew much about him from listening on the radio and his friends at school — the very few who liked the Mets. Most people he knew were Yankees or Red Sox fans. The annual trip to Shea allowed Josh to be with his people. Nobody knew the pain of Mets fans like, well, other Mets fans. Noah wondered most days if he should continue to subject his kids to torture season after season. As long as they were carefree about the team, he could be as well.

As the trio took their seats, the smell of the field hit Josh. He took one whiff of the freshly cut grass, and he’s taken back to the first days of summer break — riding bicycles, circling bases with worn shoes, and stargazing in the backyard. He couldn’t imagine being anywhere but here.

“Josh, Dad! Tom’s warming up!,” yelled Joanie. As the rest of the Mets came out of the dugout, Josh couldn’t help but pray for a win. _Please please please please please please. I’ll do all my chores with no complaints._ All he wanted was a Mets win. God could do that one thing for him.

The game ended in a close score — 2-1 Mets with a Seaver win. What more could Josh ask for? He didn’t get to hear the clack of the ball hitting the bat as often as he liked but if it ended with a Mets win, that was okay. Noah let the kids pick out one souvenir each from the vendor outside before he left.

Josh pondered for a moment. “Why didn’t we get to pick before the game?”

Noah focused on Josh and replied, “I can’t spend money on tickets _and_ souvenirs if they lose. If they lose, I’ll only lose out on the tickets.”

Though his dad’s reply was meant in jest, Josh grew furious in only the way 8 year old boys do when their fathers poke fun at them. He raised his voice, “Come on, Dad! We gotta support in the good and the bad.” 

“Mostly the bad,” quipped Joanie winking at Josh. “But he’s right. We can’t just show our Mets pride with the few wins.”

Noah, assumed by his kids, mumbled, “Just go grab your one thing and let’s get on the road.” 

Josh, Noah surmised correctly, would pick a foam finger while Joanie picked up some buttons. She hoped to hand them out to convert her non-loving baseball friends to come to her side. As with Josh, the only baseball fans she knew were loyal to the Yankees or Red Sox so she had to bring some people over to the Mets. The Lymans couldn’t be the only Met-loving family in Connecticut.

* * *

1969 turned out to be an astounding season for the Mets — a surprise run to catch the Cubs and overtake them in the NL East, all capped off for a World Series win and a nickname: the Miracle Mets. It didn’t matter to Josh that man had landed on the moon just months earlier or Woodstock had taken place a mere hours from his house. The Mets were World Series champions and nothing could take that away from him. They were the only thing to distract him from Joanie.

If only she could’ve seen this win. That’s the one thing he’d wish he could change. There’d be no jubilation right now if not for Joanie’s love of the Mets rubbing off on Josh. After everything that happened, at least Josh still had Joanie’s buttons. They somehow survived the heat. He wore one of them everyday for years — even when it finally succumbed to the years, Josh still carried it around in his pocket all through college and law school. He last saw one of the buttons before he dropped off a suit for dry cleaning. Another piece of Joanie gone. But, right at this moment in time, 8-year-old Josh couldn’t help but feel melancholy at only two of the Mets-loving Lymans being able to revel in this win. He hoped Joanie somehow knew the Mets finally won.


	2. 1998

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> donna's older brother is named for my older brother :)

It's a rare day off for the Barlet for America team. Josh doesn’t know exactly how or why they have a free day to themselves, and he’s not sure if he really likes it. They’re in New York City for a fundraiser for the governor — now that he’s the presumptive nominee, they get to spend more time in the North instead of in the Midwest or the South. That’s perfectly fine with Josh. He’s missed the spring days that states like New York offer — it’s like the sky, tired of the dreary days and nasty nights, has allowed for the sun to peek through and offer its reprieve for another year. 

Knowing they were going to be in New York for their off day, Josh arranged for him and the merry crew — CJ, Sam, Donna, and even Toby if he wanted to join — to have tickets for the Mets. He gathered them, minus Toby, all around for his announcement of plans.

“Listen, it’s our day off. We’re here and we’re gonna watch the Mets play. It’s my thank you gift for all your hard work you’ve put in this campaign.”

Twirling a pen in her hands, CJ answers, “First of all, we don’t do the work for you. Second of all, you got those for free didn’t you?”

“....the Mets are fun to watch.”

“I think I’d rather just work.” CJ drops the pen on the end table and gathers her belongings.

Josh isn’t going to allow CJ or the others to walk away from, what he thought, was a great group activity. “Hey! This is also for Donna. She’s done great work since she’s been back.”

“Don’t put this on me,” Donna says, looking back over her shoulder and walking to join CJ.

“Come on guys! Even if it is the Mets, who doesn’t love baseball?”

“Me.” 

“Sam.” Of course, thought Josh, this is when Sam would chime in.

Toby, back from his meeting — which was not work related, Toby relents — joins in with the team. “Did I hear baseball?”

“Toby, it’s the Mets,” says CJ from the other end of the room.

“Oh, well. Never mind then.” Toby makes a move to leave. 

Josh becomes a bit incredulous. “Hateful. Every single one of you.”

Toby chuckles and replies, “I guess we’ll have to go to make sure he doesn’t burst a blood vessel.”

* * *

The first thing out of anyone’s mouth when they arrive at Shea is, “I hate ballpark food.” Josh can’t help but roll his eyes. He loves Sam but doesn’t understand his love of healthy food. Sam loves basketball and went to many Lakers games back in Los Angeles. Isn’t the same type of food served there?

Reading Josh’s mind, CJ asks, “Don’t you eat the food when you go to your basketball games?”

Sam thinks for a moment and decidedly replies, “I don’t eat there either.” CJ clicks her tongue, shakes her head, and says, “I’m going to get a hot dog.”

Breaking away from this conversation, Toby puts a hand on Josh’s shoulder and snickers. “The Mets suck.”

“Thanks, Toby,” was all Josh musters.

As always, CJ happens to come back at the right time. “He’s right. Wish we were watching the A’s instead.”

“The A’s?! You have to be kidding me.” Josh couldn’t take this anymore. He just wanted to watch some baseball with his friends. Mets baseball, yes, but baseball nonetheless. 

“Yes, the A’s. Now listen you don’t get to talk when you’re a Mets fan.” CJ leads the way for the group to go to their seats.

Noticing Donna’s silence, Josh playfully chides her. “Help me out here, Donna. Or else I’ll make sure there’s work to do today.”

“CJ’s right. And you don’t get to decide to have me work today,” Donna replies, a small smile spreading on her face.

“I took you back only for you to do this to me. I can’t believe it.”

Donna turns towards him. “Took me back?”

Toby comes to the rescue for Josh. As if he didn’t have enough trouble. “Your team sucks.”

“Toby….”

“You grew up in Connecticut and yet you’re a Mets fan. Make it make sense.”

Josh decides to indulge with Toby’s banter. “I could be a Red Sox fan instead.”

Toby groans. “Don’t start.”

* * *

They all head back to Josh’s hotel room after the game. The Mets lost 6-0. Toby never let Josh hear the end of it the whole way back. It was late but none of them were tired. Sam decided to look for something for them to do — whether it be a board game or, better yet, a drinking game. 

In the end, all Sam finds is Uno. A collective groan fills the room. “Hey now,” says Sam. “We can still have fun. I happen to like Uno.”

They play Uno for about a hour. CJ is ruthless and takes no prisoners. She constantly plays ‘draw 2’ cards with Sam feeling the brunt of the action. He ends his final game with 34 cards.

“Okay, I’m going to bed now.”

“Samuel! Don’t be a sore loser.” CJ grins and shuffles the cards for another round.

Toby decides he’s had enough as well. “Sam has the right idea. Goodnight.”

The remaining cast — CJ, Donna, and Josh — play one more round with, of course, CJ ending as victor.

CJ yawns and stretches. “Kids, I’m heading off to bed. Don’t say up too late now.”

Donna laughs and says, “Thanks, mom.”

CJ winks on her way out. “Just make sure we’re all rested for tomorrow.”

Silence envelopes the room. Donna cleans up the cards while Josh throws away the leftover food and beer bottles.

Donna is the first to break the quiet. “Toby’s right. What’s up with your Mets love?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re from Connecticut. I don't think there’s many Mets fans from there.”

“Well, my dear Wisconsinite friend, I don’t think you’d know much about people from Connecticut.” Donna rolls her eyes at his reply. Becoming serious, Josh adds, “My sister.”

“I didn’t know you had a sister.”

“Yeah. Biggest Mets fan I knew?”  
Donna picks up on the past tense. “Knew?”

“Yeah. She, uh, passed when we were kids.”

Not knowing exactly what to do in this situation, Donna moves closer to Josh. “I’m so sorry.” She wraps an arm around him.

Josh, stiff at her touch for a moment, leans into her. “Hey. Don’t be. I’m glad you asked. It’s not often I get to talk about her — especially in terms of her love of baseball.”

“There’s a lot I don’t know about you.”

“Most people don’t know.”

* * *

They stay in that position for close to three minutes until Josh breaks the silence this time. “Do you like baseball?”

“Yes but I don’t really have a team. I used to play with my older brother, Danny. He’d always let me join him and his friends when they played. He worshipped the Pirates back then. How couldn’t he? Roberto Clemente was the closest thing to a hero he had.”

Touched by her response, Josh replies, “That’s sweet. There’s nothing today like those summers with my dad and Joanie — that’s my sister’s name. Joanie. Anyway I don’t think I’ve ever been as happy as I was then.” After allowing for a pause, Josh adds, “May I suggest the Mets as your team?”

Donna laughs at his suggestion. “No.”

Josh smiles and moves from Donna. “I’ll make you a Mets fan one day. You spend enough time around me, you’ll learn to love them.”

“I don’t think so.”

“We’ll see.”

Donna softly laughs and walks to the door. “Goodnight, Josh.”

“Goodnight, Donna.”

**Author's Note:**

> i learned a little more about mets than i ever cared to (go braves!)


End file.
